"
Margaret was of the women who seem never to think of what they are
really absorbed in, and never to look at what they are really
scrutinizing. She disconcerted him by interrupting his reflections
with: "Your private opinion of me is of small consequence to me,
Grant, beside the relief and the joy of being able to say my
secret self aloud. Also"--here she grew dizzy at her own audacity
in the frankness that fools--"Also, if I wished to get you, Grant,
or any man, I'd not be silly enough to fancy my character or lack
of it would affect him. That isn't what wins men--is it?"
"You and Josh Craig have a most uncomfortable way of answering
people's thoughts," said Arkwright. "Now, how did you guess I was
thinking mean things about you?"
"For the same reason that Mr. Craig is able to guess what's going
on in your head."
"And that reason is--"
She laughed mockingly. "Because I know you, Grant Arkwright--you,
the meanest-generous man, and the most generous-mean man the Lord
ever permitted. The way to make you generous is to give you a mean
impulse; the way to make you mean is to set you to fearing you're
in danger of being generous."
"There's a bouquet with an asp coiled in it," said Arkwright,
pleased; for with truly human vanity he had accepted the
compliment and had thrown away the criticism.
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